Chrysomelidae (weed bioagents)

Coleoptera (against weeds) • insects • weed bioagents • Beneficials/natural enemies

Diorhabda sublineata on Tamarix (click on image to enlarge it)
Author(s): USDA/ARS, James L. Tracy
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Chrysomelidae (weed bioagents)

The family of leaf beetles contains around 50,000 species, mainly plant feeders. Many are plant pests, but some are beneficial as specialists of weeds and several have been used and introduced against invasive plants.

The family is closely related to the Cerambycidae but the members have shorter antennae, among other features. The cuticle is often shiny and metallic. The larvae are usually short, convex and often coloured.

For species harmful to crops see Chrysomelidae (plant pests).

The following genera and individual species are currently entered as weed bioagents under this family:

• Agasicles hygrophila (weed bioagent)
• Aphthona (genus - weed bioagents)
• Cassida (genus - weed bioagents)
• Chrysolina (genus - weed bioagents)
• Diorhabda (genus - weed bioagents)
• Disonycha glabrata (weed bioagent)
• Galeruca (genus - weed bioagents)
• Galerucella (genus - weed bioagents)
• Gastrophysa (genus - weed bioagents)

• Gratiana (genus - weed bioagents)
• Lilioceris (genus - weed bioagents)
• Longitarsus (genus - weed bioagents)
• Microrhopala (genus - weed bioagents)
• Neogalerucella calmariensis (weed bioagent)
• Ophraella (genus - weed bioagents)
• Trirhabda (genus - weed bioagents)
• Uroplata (genus - weed bioagents)
• Zygogramma (genus - weed bioagents)